1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to new and useful articles capable of being inserted in the oral cavity of humans or other animals and releasing gradually over a prolonged period of time, medicaments or odor-masking substances which will mask any foul or unpleasant odors emanating from the oral cavity. Process for masking such oral odors or introducing medication in the oral cavity.
2. State of the Art
Processes for sustained released encapsulation of medicaments, including medicaments in liquid form, are well known in the art. Also, compositions for masking odors emanating from the oral cavity of humans and other animals are well known in the art. These odor-masking compositions are typically presented in such forms as mouth washes, breath sprays, breath deodorant chewing gums, and the like.
The foregoing prior art compositions and products have not been effective in providing sustained release of odor-masking substances or medicaments in the oral cavity of humans and other animals for periods of one or more hours, for several reasons. In some instances, the substances are presented in liquid form, without any sustained release condition, and are merely washed away by the secretions of the oral mucosa and have a residence time in the oral cavity of no more than several minutes. In the case of such substances as deodorant chewing gums, the deodorant constituents are not in sustained release form, and once the deodorant coating of the chewing gum is broken, it dissolves in a relatively short period of time, i.e., on the order of one-half hour or less, and does not have any truly sustained release effect. Moreover, such prior art devices as chewing gum could not comfortably be placed in the area of the oral mucosa above the upper gums or below the lower gums, where they could comfortably reside for periods of hours providing sustained release effect without interfering with speech, chewing, smoking and the like, being uncomfortable, being easily released from position or otherwise being inadequate to perform a prolonged deodorant function.